Pushbutton controlling device

ABSTRACT

A pushbutton controlling device having two states obtained by manipulation of the single pushbutton comprises, at its end, a transparent window and has a hollow part closed at its base by an inner part and carries an indicating part comprising two zoned reference marks corresponding to the starting and stopping of the device. The pushbutton is used for controlling electrical cutout devices, and also for controlling mechanical, pneumatic or hydraulic elements.

United States Patent Morin et a1.

[54] PUSI-IBUTTON CONTROLLING DEVICE [72] lnventors: Jean Morin; GerardDesperrler, both of Saint-Marcellin, France [73] Assignee: SocietedAppareillage Electrlque Saparel, Saint-Marcellin, France [22] Filed:Apr. 24, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 31,636

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 30, 1969 France ..69l3937[52] US. CL ..200/167 R [51] Int. Cl. H0lh 9/16 [58] FieldofSearch..200/167 R, 167 A, 172 R, 172A [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 7 3,377,451 4/1968 Kreuter "200/ 167 R 1 Feb. 22, 19723,538,28511/1970 Or1s.... ..200/l67R 3,217,129 11/1965 I-Iufnagel....200/l67R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,087,225 8/1960 Germany..200/ 167 R Primary Examiner1'1. 0. Jones Attorney-Sughrue, Rothwell,Mion, Zinn 8: Macpeak [57] 1 ABSTRACT A pushbutton controlling devicehaving two states obtained by manipulation of the single pushbuttoncomprises, at its end, a transparent window and has a hollow part closedat its base by an inner part and carries an indicating part comprisingtwo zoned reference marks corresponding to the starting and stopping ofthe device. The pushbutton is used for controlling electrical cutoutdevices, and also for controlling mechanical, pneumatic orhydraulicelements.

4 2 Drawing Figures PUSHBUTTON CONTROLLING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention concerns pushbuttonsfor use more particularly in controlling electrical cutout devices suchas switches or circuit breakers. They may, however, equally be used forcontrolling any sort of mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic devices.

2. Description of the Prior Art In general, devices controlled bypushbuttons comprise two such buttons: one controlling the starting ofthe device and the other, the stopping of the device. Naturally, thesetwo buttons. must bear different conventional reference marks, so thatthe operator can distinguish them from each other, so as to avoid allfaulty operation.

In general, regulations require that the pushbutton controlling thestarting be colored green and bear the reference mark I, and that thepushbutton controlling the stopping be colored red and bear thereference mark 0.

There exist, however, certain devices which comprise only one pushbuttonfor starting and stopping. In this case, the above conditions are nolonger fulfilled, since nothing in the appearance of the button showsthe operator if the operation he is to effect by pushing the button willstart or stop the device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is a pushbutton having twopositions which does not have the disadvantage enumerated above. It ischaracterized in that the body of the pushbutton comprises, at least atits extremity, a transparent window, and is fitted with a central hollowpart in which an indicator part is mounted with a certain clearance. Theindicator part comprises two zones bearing, respectively, referencemarks corresponding to the starting state and the stopping state of thecontrolled device. The part is actuated by the movement of thepushbutton and is arranged so as to be subjected consequently, to amovement which makes it pass under the transparent window, so that itallows only one of the said reference mark zones to be visible in thiswindow according to the position of the pushbutton.

Two possible embodiments of the pushbutton according to the invention,in one of which the reference mark part is a drum which under the effectof the movement of the button, undergoes a rotating motion, whereas inthe other, the reference mark part is a curved tape whose curved zoneadvances and progresses step by step along the said tape under theeffect of the movement of the button, will be described below by way ofnonlimiting example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view,partially in section of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view, partially in section, of a secondembodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows, by way ofexample, the first variation, wherein the body of the pushbutton, shownin a partial sectional view, is designated by 1. It is made preferablyof synthetic material, and can be completely or partially transparent.It is essential that it should comprise, at its upper part, a window 2carrying a transversal and semicylindrical groove, in which a drum 3 tobe seen is inserted with a certain clearance.

Preferably, for structural reasons, the body of the pushbutton is openat its lower part, and a part 4, whose upper part, in the shape of acylindrical cradle, forms a support for the drum 3, is open, is insertedthrough this opening, this part being fixed to the body 1 by any means.

On the other hand on one of the bases of the drum 3, the bent end 5 of arigid rod 6 is articulated and passes into a cavity between the part 4and the wall of the body 1, so as not to project from the side of thelatter, the other end of this rod being connected to a fixed point, notshown, on the device to be controlled.

The pushbutton assembly thus formed is fixed, for example by means ofstuds suchas 7, to a bar 8 coupled to the mobile elements of the deviceto be controlled.

The periphery of the drum 3 is divided into two zones 9 and 10,separated by a generatrix of the said drum, and bearing respectivelyinformation relating to the starting position and to the stoppingposition. For example, zone 9 shown on the drawing as a shaded part maybe colored red, whereas zone 10 shown on the drawing as a cross ruledpart may be colored green.

The operation of this device will now be explained.

In FIG. 1, the pushbutton is shown in the high position, correspondingto the starting state of the device to be controlled, and it is thenthat the green zone 10 appears in the window 2, showing that theoperation of the pushbutton will cause the stopping of the device.

If the button is actually pushed, it recedes downwards, causing therequired stopping, but as the rod 6 is fixed, its end 5, engaged in thedrum 3, forces the latter to turn, and the zones 9 and 10 are arrangedin such a way that it is then the red zone 9 which appears in the window2, thus showing the operator.

that the device is in the stopping state and that another operation ofthe button will cause its starting.

It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the rotation of the drum islimited to a maximum of one-half turn, as can easily be seen in thefigure.

Therefore, the movement of the button cannot be greater than thediameter of the drum, and consequently, the use of this embodiment islimited to devices in which the movement of the parts to be controlledis relatively slight.

The second embodiment, shown in FIG. 2, is not subject to thislimitation.

This embodiment comprises, like the preceding, a body I completely orpartially transparent, fitted with a window 2 and having a U-shapedhollow part. In this body is fixed an inner recess including asemicylindrical portion facing window 2 l l which matches the profile ofthe hollow part in the body I leaving between it and the latter a slightgap in which a flexible tape 12 can slide. One end of this tape isfastened to a fixed part 13 and its other end is free in the gap betweenparts 1 and 1 l.

The set of parts 1 and 11 is fixed by any known means, such as studs 7,to the bar 8 connected to the elements which are to be controlled.

The flexible tape is divided along its length into two zones 15 and 14bearing respectively reference marks corresponding to the stopping andstarting of the device. For example, the zone 15 illustrated in thefigure by a cross ruled part may be green.

The pushbutton is illustrated in FIG. 2 in the high positioncorresponding to the stopping state of the device to be controlled, itis then the green zone 15 of the tape 12 which appears in the window 2,showing the operator that operation of the button will cause thestarting of the device.

The tape 12 must be sufficiently flexible to be able to follow the curveof the parts 1 and 11, and yet sufficiently resistant. Thin metal tapeis suitable for the purpose, but some kinds of synthetic material mayalso be used.

It is specified that, in both of the embodiments described above, thereference marks on the indicator element (drum or tape) can be anyconventional reference marks and can be applied on the indicator elementin any known way.

Also, in both of these embodiments, the window 2 can be constructed soas to have a magnifying effect.

The invention is not limited to the two embodiments which have beendescribed and illustrated by way of example, but it comprises allpossible variations complying with the definition given in claim 1.

We claim:

1. A pushbutton for controlling an apparatus involving at least twocontrol states comprising:

a fixed support,

a body depressable relative to said fixed support from a first positioncorresponding to a first state to a second position corresponding to asecond state,

a transparent window carried by said pushbutton body,

a semicylindrical recess within said pushbutton body facing said window,

an indicator positioned within said recess having a correspondingsemicircular surface portion facing said window and movable about theaxis of said recess, carrying reference zones corresponding to saidcontrol states,

and means operatively coupling said movable indicator to said fixedsupport and responsive to depression of said pushbutton body to a secondposition for moving said movable indicator to expose reference zonesindicative of said control states.

2. The pushbutton as claimed in claim 1, wherein said movable indicatorcomprises a revolving drum carrying reference zones on its periphery andwherein said means operatively coupling said movable indicator to saidfixed support comprises a lever coupled at one end to said fixed supportand at the other end to an eccentric position on said revolving drum.

3. The pushbutton as claimed in claim 1, wherein said movable indicatorcomprises a flexible strip fixed at one end to said support, with thefree end thereof extending within and in contact with the recess withinsaid pushbutton body, said strip being divided transversely intolongitudinal zones corresponding to said control state, whereby saidflexible strip is subjected to a sliding movement upon depression orextension of said pushbutton body.

4. The pushbutton as claimed in claim 3, wherein said strip is a thinmetal one.

1. A pushbutton for controlling an apparatus involving at least two control states comprising: a fixed support, a body depressable relative to said fixed support from a first position corresponding to a first state to a second position corresponding to a second state, a transparent window carried by said pushbutton body, a semicylindrical recess within said pushbutton body facing said window, an indicator positioned within said recess having a corresponding semicircular surface portion facing said window and movable about the axis of said recess, carrying reference zones corresponding to said control states, and means operatively coupling said movable indicator to said fixed support and responsive to depression of said pushbutton body to a second position for moving said movable indicator to expose reference zones indicative of said control states.
 2. The pushbutton as claimed in claim 1, wherein said movable indicator comprises a revolving drum carrying reference zones on its periphery and wherein said means operatively coupling said movable indicator to said fixed support comprises a lever coupled at one end to said fixed support and at the other end to an eccentric position on said revolving drum.
 3. The pushbutton as claimed in claim 1, wherein said movable indicator comprises a flexible strip fixed at one end to said support, with the free end thereof extending within and in contact with the recess within said pushbutton body, said strip being divided transversely into longitudinal zones corresponding to said control state, whereby said flexible strip is subjected to a sliding movement upon depression or extension of said pushbutton body.
 4. The pushbutton as claimed in claim 3, wherein said strip is a thin metal one. 